The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of French Application No. FR 02 01997 filed on Feb. 18, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handling door of the type with a flexible curtain or apron for an industrial building, and more particularly to a guide device for the vertical slideways of said door.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Doors of this type generally comprise a metal structure or framework consisting of vertical and opposed uprights, of a drive shaft, of several horizontal reinforcing bars housed in sleeves made in the thickness of the flexible curtain or apron, and of hauling straps.
The vertical edges of the flexible curtain or apron and the horizontal reinforcing bars or reinforcing tubes run in vertical slideways which may or may not be held on the vertical uprights of the handling door.
The vertical guide slideways have a spacing which is somewhat greater than the thickness of the curtain so as to allow it to move from an open position to a closed position when the hauling straps are driven by the drive shaft.
One purpose of the present invention aims to solve the problem of sealing the flexible apron in the vertical guide slideways when the latter are semirigid or flexibly fixed, at their two ends, to each upright of the metal framework and made of woven materials or deformable plastics materials or shape-memory materials.
The sealing device according to the present invention may utilize projecting ribs which are secured to the outer face of each upright and between which are arranged, in close proximity, the elements of each guiding slideway.
The sealing device according to the present invention may utilize projecting ribs which arise from a shaping of the outer face of each upright.
The sealing device according to the present invention may utilize projecting ribs which are made of attached elements fixed to the outer face of each upright.
The sealing device according to the present invention may utilize projecting ribs which are continuous and are provided along the entire height of the guiding slideways.
The sealing device according to the present invention may utilize projecting ribs which may be parallel or in the shape of a V depending on the direction of the elements of the guiding slideway on the outer face of each upright.
The invention also provides for a handling door comprising vertical opposed uprights. Each upright has vertical guide slideways. Each vertical guide slideway is at least one of a semirigid member and a flexible member and comprises one of a woven material, a deformable plastic material, and a shape-memory material. Ribs project from an outer face of each upright. The vertical guide slideways of each upright are arranged between the ribs.
The handling door may further comprise a flexible apron or curtain whose ends are guided by the vertical guide slideways. The ribs may be formed by shaping or bending the outer face of each upright. The ribs may be fixed to the outer face of each upright. The ribs may be at least one of continuous and provided over an entire height of the vertical guide slideways. The ribs may be arranged parallel to one another on each outer face. The ribs may be arranged in a non-parallel manner to one another on each outer face. Each rib may have a V-shape. The ribs may slope towards one another. A distance between the ribs may be greater than a distance between vertical guide slideways.
The invention also provides for a handling door comprising two vertical opposed uprights. Each upright has two vertical guide slideways. Each vertical guide slideway comprises one of a woven material, a deformable plastic material, a shape-memory material. Two ribs project from an outer face of each upright. The two vertical guide slideways of each upright are arranged between the two ribs of each upright.
The handling door may further comprise a flexible apron or curtain whose ends are guided by the vertical guide slideways. Each rib may be formed by shaping or bending the outer face of each upright. Each rib may be fixed to the outer face of each upright. Each rib is at least one of continuous and provided over an entire height of the vertical guide slideways. The two ribs may be arranged parallel to one another on each outer face. The two ribs may be arranged non-parallel to one another on each outer face. Each rib may have a V-shape. The two ribs may slope towards one another. A distance between the two ribs may be greater than a distance between two vertical guide slideways.
The invention also provides for a handling door comprising two vertical opposed uprights. Each upright includes two vertical guide slideways. Each vertical guide slideway comprises a flexible strap. Two ribs project from an outer face of each upright. The two vertical guide slideways of each upright are arranged between the two ribs of each upright and each rib acts to limit movement of each strap by engaging therewith.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.